Anvils for button sewing machines



961 o. HALBREICH 2,994,289

ANVILS FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fg-Z | NIH Il 1951 o. HALBREICH 2,994,289

ANVILS FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 2,994,289 ANVILS FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHINES Oscar Halbreich, Forest Hills, N.Y., assignor to Kern Button Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 18, 1959, Ser. No. 821,244 1 Claim. (Cl. 112-109) This invention relates generally to the field of sewing machines, and more particularly to improved anvils supported by the throat plate of such devices, and having particular application for use in conjunction with oscillating needle button sewing machines employing automatically operating shank button feeders.

In devices of this type, which are generally known in the art, individual shank buttons are supported with the plane of the head of the button in a generally vertical disposition, while the axis of the shank portion is generally at right angles to that of the oscillating needle. The hole in the shank is positioned so as to be entered by the needle during a first stroke of the needle, the stitch being completed about the end of the shank on the following stroke. As the diameter of the head of the button is I normally substantially larger than that of the shank,

means must be provided for supporting the material upon which the buttons are sewn a distance above the throat plate of the machine, it is necessary to provide a support for both the shank of the button and the goods at the point where the stitch is actually formed. In the prior art, the anvil has been in the form of a metallic block having an upper surface which supports the material being sewn, as well as one surface of the shank which rests thereupon. Extending from the upper surface of the anvil to the throat plate which supports the same is a continuous bore through which the needle passes to contact the means disposed beneath the throat plate for performing the well known chain-type stitch common to button sewing machines of this type. The bore in anvils of the prior art have normally been open at the side, to facilitate movement of the needle during its side-to-side oscillation, and adjacent the point where the stitch is formed, a portion of the cloth is folded through substantially a right angle to extend vertically in abutted relation with respect to the means engaging the inner surface of the head of the button. On occasion, the needle, during its downward motion through the hole in the shank of the button, has extended into the plane of this vertically disposed portion of material being sewn, with the result that the stitch formed is of considerably greater size than is consistent with a tight mounting of the button. In addition, this oversized stitch tends to wrinkle the cloth adjacent the point of mounting of the button, with a resultant unsatisfactory appearance in the finished garment.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved anvil of the type described in which the above mentioned disadvantage has been substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of anvil means of the class described incorporating means for moving that portion of the cloth which is normally vertically disposed during the sewing operation to a slightly converging relation with respect to the path of the needle during the time the same is passing through the hole in the shank of the button being sewed, whereby the possi- 'ice bility of the needle passing through the plane of the cloth is substantially eliminated.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of a sewing machine anvil of the class described which permits the formation of a stitch of minimum size consistent with mechanical strength which will assist in maintaining the button in an upright condition normal to the plane of the cloth upon which it is sewn.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved modification of the above described anvil, possessed of the above advantages, and further adapted for use in conjunction with the sewing of knitted material for obtaining a stitch of high mechanical strength owing to a minimum of distortion imparted to the fabric during the sewing operation.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the various embodiments disclosed may be incorporated into existing oscillating needle button sewing machines with a minimum of adaptation and alteration. 1

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the inventive devices may be formed using mass production techniques, whereby the cost of manufacture may be of a reasonably low order, consistent with wide sale, distribution and use.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claim.

-In the drawings, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing an embodiment of the invention in position upon the bed of a button sewing machine.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the embodiment showing the same in mounted condition upon a throat plate which comprises a part of the sewing machine.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view showing the surface opposite that seen in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view, partly in section, as seen from the lefthand portion of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view in elevation, showing the lower surface of the embodiment in detached condition with respect to the throat plate.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 66 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 77 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 8-8 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view as seen from the plane 99 in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective, corresponding generally to that seen in FIGURE 1, but showing a second embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the second embodiment shown in conjunction with the throat plate of a sewing machine.

FIGURE 12 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment in attached condition with respect to the throat plate, and showing the surfaces opposite that seen in FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a side elevational view as seen from the lefthand portion of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view as seen from the plane 14-14 in FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plane 1515 on FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 1616 in FIG- URE 10.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view as seen from the plane 17-17 in FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view as seen from the plane 1818, FIGURE 16.

In accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, generally indicated by reference character 10, the same is shown in FIGURE 1 in operating position in conjunction with a shank button feeding device 11, having button positioning means 12 and a pivotally mounted button holding means 13 of the type disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,843,069, to which reference is made. The device is normally positioned in adjustable relation upon the bed 14, of an oscillating needle sewing machine, the conventional throat plate thereof being altered for proper accommodation.

As best seen in FIGURES 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the device 10 comprises a body, generally indicated by reference character 16, having a lower surface 17, a front surface 18, side surfaces 19 and 20, a rear surface 21 and an upper surface 22. Disposed between the side surface 20 and the rear surface 21 is a horizontally angled surface 23 which, as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 8, contacts the lower spring finger 24 of the button positioning means 12. Forming a part of the surface 23 is a Wedge shaped member 25, the specific location being such that it forms one side of a hollow bore 26 of generally oval cross-section. As best seen in FIGURE 6, the bore is formed by a continuous surface 27, having a first vertical end 28 and a second end 29 which is disposed at an angle between 1 and 2 degrees with respect to the vertical. The wedge shape member or wall includes an outer surface 23 which is disposed at an angle of between 3 and 6 degrees with respect to the vertical, the precise angular measurements employed depending upon the characteristic needle path of the particular oscillating needle machine being employed.

For purposes of clarity, the angular measurements shown in the drawing have been deliberately accentuated, and are consequently much greater in proportion than will be found in the actual embodiment. As the inner and outer surfaces of the wall 25 are therefore converging in an upward direction, the upper edge 32 of the wall will accordingly be a knife edge, the location of which is slightly below the upper surface 22.

Referring to FIGURES 3, 4 and 7, the body 16 is adjustably mounted for limited relative movement upon the throat plate 15 to permit the wall 25 to be positioned directly beneath a button shank during sewing operation. The adjustable mounting may be of any type which permits limited longitudinal movement along the principal axis of the body (i.e. along the axis of the bed of the sewing machine) as well as limited pivotal movement about a principal vertically disposed axis of the body. The throat plate 15 is provided with a pair of screw openings 34 and 35 which are conventional, and in addition, the same is modified to include a large oval opening 36, a pair of small oval openings 37 and 38 as well as an opening 39 through which an Allen screw 40 projects. Pins 41 and 42 are permanently anchored in the body 16 and are slidably engageable in the openings 37 and 38, the tolerances being such as to allow a miniscule amount of pivotal action about the axis of the Allen screw 40 as well as longitudinal movement in an upward-downward movement as best seen in FIGURE 3.

In use, the cloth 43 to be sewn is positioned as seen in FIGURE 8, so that a portion 44 is supported by the upper surface 22 of the body 16, while a second portion 45 is disposed at an angle with respect thereto and gripped between the wall 25 and the outer surface of the button positioning means 12. In this position, the portion 45 is shielded from contact with the needle, the wedge shape cross section of the wall 25 permitting the needle to just clear the same at the point of penetration of the cloth portion 44. In the dashed line 46, the alternate position of the needle generally indicated by reference character 47 is shown, and it will be observed that the oscillatory path may be no larger than the distance from the nearest edge of the hole 52 in the shank 53 to the end 53' of the shank. In this manner the stitch may be of a very small size, and sufliciently tight to just allow the button to be erected to be normal to the plane of the cloth at the completion of the sewing operation.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGURES 10 to 17, inclusive, the device, generally indicated by reference character 48 is preferably formed by precision stamping with a minimum of machining operation. In addition, it offers a further advantage in that it presents line contact against the button positioning means 12 as opposed to surface contact as in the first embodiment of the invention, owing to the fact that the same is of generally frusto-conical configuration. device 48 includes a base flange 49, generally quasiperipherally disposed, a frusto-conical wall member 50 and a top wall member 51.

The base flange 49 includes a lower surface 54, a peripheral edge 55, an inner edge 56 and an upper surface 57. Openings 58 are provided for mounting the flange 49 on the throat plate 15 of the sewing machine, the openings preferably being of oval configuration to permit limited adjustment.

The conical wall member 50 includes an inner surface 59, and an outer surface 60. The degrees of angularity of both surfaces correspond to those of the first embodiment, and may be varied within the limits specified depending upon the particular sewing machine employed.

The upper wall 51 includes an upper surface 63, a lower surface 64 and an elongated opening 65 therein, the vertical portion 67 of which extends into the conical wall member 50. Referring to FIGURE 18, it will be observed that the frusto-conica-l side wall member 50 presents a line contact generally indicated by reference character 69 with respect to the button positioning means 12, so that when knitted goods 70 are disposed therebetween, as indicated in FIGURE 8, the distortion of the knitted threads is substantially less than that which occurs when using the first embodiment. This diminished distortion of the knitted thread results in less distortion of the portion 72 disposed on the top wall member 51, with a resultant stronger stitch obtained during the sewing operation.

I wish it 'to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

An improved anvil for use in conjunction with an oscillatory needle type sewing machine having a throat plate and movable means for feeding shank type buttons to sewing position with respect to said sewing machine, said anvil comprising: a body having a lower horizontal surface supported by said throat plate, a second substantially horizontal surface spaced from and parallel to said first horizontal surface, there being a substantially vertically disposed bore communicating with said first and second surfaces through which the needle of said sewing machine may reciprocate, a wall partially axially bounding said bore, said wall selectively abutting said shank buttonfeeding means, said wall having an outer surface disposed in non-parallel relation with respect to the vertical axis of said bore, and having an inner surface disposed As best seen in FIGURES 14 and 15, thein converging relation with respect to said outer surface, and meeting said outer surface substantially in the plane of said upper horizontal surface, whereby cloth being sewn is prevented from entering said bore during a sewing cycle, and that portion of said cloth overlapping said outer surface of said wall is supported in a plane disposed in non-parallel relation with respect to the line of movement of the needle of said sewing machine when said needle is in that portion of a sewing cycle in which it is disposed adjacent said wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Barron Feb. 3, 1914 Morris Feb. 17, 1914 Muszynski Jan. 16, 1940 Diamond Oct. 16, 1951 Troll May 27, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 10, 1892 Switzerland May 16, 1942 

